fiscal cliff is everywhere. thank you so much. brian shactman. >>> it is not a doung grade to a specific company but downgrade to the european stability mechanism. what is that? that is this big body through which europe borrows bonds. you can see it trading down against the dollar. it means it is more expensive for europe to borrow. not what we need right now. >>> up next, is the u.s. turning to france? a french minister says the u.s. is franchising industry. [ male announcer ] trading's like a high-speed train. and you don't want to miss it with thinkorswim by td ameritrade. you get knock-your-socks-off tools, simple one-click orders, real-time paper trading to hone your skills, plus anytime you need it support. ♪ stocks, options, futures, and forex. get your trading on track. thinkorswim by td ameritrade. trade commission free for 60 days, plus get up to $600 when you open an account. plus get up to $600 if we want to improve our schools... ... what should we invest in? maybe new buildings? what about updated equipment? they